SALMON & CORN CHOWDER w/LIMA BEANS

By BobD

Ingredients

• Where most chowders have milk as their base, this one uses chicken stock and pureed corn, with a little half-and-half stirred in just before serving to make it nice and creamy.
• 1/4 pound sliced bacon, cut crosswise into thin strips
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 1/4 pounds boiling potatoes (about 3), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 3 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
• 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 2 2/3 cups fresh (cut from about 4 ears) or frozen corn kernels
• 1 pound skinless salmon fillets, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup frozen baby lima beans, thawed
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup half and half
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives or scallion tops

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from cooking.com

Preparation

Step 1

In a large pot, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pot. Add the onion and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the potatoes, broth, bacon, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt to the pot and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

Put the corn kernels in a food processor and pulse six to eight times to chop. Add the corn to the pot and cook, covered, until the potatoes and corn are just done, about 5 minutes longer.

Add the salmon, lima beans, the remaining 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and the pepper. Bring just back to a simmer; the fish should be just cooked through. Stir in the half-and-half and serve the chowder topped with the chives.

Variation

If you're not a lima-bean fan, substitute another vegetable, such as petite peas.